Historic Tour of Matjiesfontein

(160 reviews)

Karoo audio tour: Historic Tour of Matjiesfontein

This is a 0.7mi walking tour

It takes an average of 45 mins to complete.

Karoo

South Africa

Free

Access all 21 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

Reviews

About the Tour

Tour the perfectly preserved Victorian town of Matjiesfontein with renowned author Dean Allen. Starting at the majestic Lord Milner Hotel, you'll be guided down the high street, through the immaculate gardens, and along the train station, ending up at The Laird's Arms for a well-deserved pint.

Over the course of the walk, Dean will tell the tale of the village's creation by the 'ideal colonialist', James Logan, in the late 1800s. You will follow Logan's transformation from a penniless 19-year-old Scottish immigrant to the man who built a model town in the middle of nowhere, influenced trade and politics, and toured Britain with his very own South African cricket team.

For more about Dean Allen, visit his website: www.deanallen.co.za

Tour Producer

The Lord Milner Hotel

1 tour

Matjiesfontein is a small privately owned town in the Great Karoo, founded by legendary railway man James Douglas Logan in 1884. The village was bought from the Logan family by acclaimed hotelier David Rawdon in 1968, who returned it to its former glory before he passed away in 2010. It has been in the Rawdon family ever since, meaning the town has been owned by only 2 families in its 130+ years of existence.

Visitors will experience a real step back in time, immersing themselves in living history, as life here is a tribute to the early Karoo, the Anglo-Boer War and Queen Victoria's England.

Guests can explore the historic ambiance of the famed Lord Milner Hotel, its old world charm, gracious servers, and elegant décor - not to mention discovering its ghost stories. Here, you can dine by candlelight in The Hotel Dining Room, served by red-jacketed porters, and feast on local specialities such as Karoo lamb.

Matjiesfontein offers everything that a world-class destination does - yet is wholly unique in the hospitality industry. It’s a place of magic, history and utter relaxation.

Preview Location

Location 1

Welcome: The Lord Milner Hotel

Hello, and welcome to Matjiesfontein! My name is Dean Allen. I spent 10 years digging through archives and travelling the country, researching and writing the incredible history of this town in a book called Empire, War and Cricket.

Today, I'll be taking you on a tour of th... Hello, and welcome to Matjiesfontein! My name is Dean Allen. I spent 10 years digging through archives and travelling the country, researching and writing the incredible history of this town in a book called Empire, War and Cricket.

Today, I'll be taking you on a tour of this quirky little town, this Victorian oasis in the middle of nowhere. I'll tell you about the incredible history of Matjiesfontein, but mainly we'll talk about the man who envisioned what this blip on the map could be and made it so - a Scotsman, would you believe, called James Logan.

You should be standing in front of the magnificent Lord Milner Hotel, the flagship building of the high street and indeed of the town. Before we set off, I'm going to tell you a little bit about the journey I went on while writing the book. You might want to take a seat on one of the chairs outside, or one of the benches next to the front gate, if it's not too hot.

[3 SECOND PAUSE]

Comfortable? Good! Let's dive right in.

You might be wondering why a Brit is giving you a lesson in South African history. Well, my love affair with SA goes back many years. As soon as I set foot on these shores, I felt at home; the land and its people moved and inspired me, and I knew I wanted to live here. I first visited Matjiesfontein in 1997 and was immediately enthralled by the place. I wanted to learn more, and went to buy one of the history books that had surely been written. But only one existed - and it left too many questions unanswered.

So I did what anyone would have done. I moved to South Africa and wrote a PhD on the town, digging deep into its history. The story I found was so unique that it only made sense to turn it into a book. I was encouraged by David Rawdon, who had famously bought the town in 1968 from the original owners and brought it back to its former glory. Dave was instrumental in my writing the book, telling me that as long as I worked on it, breakfasts at the Lord Milner were on him! Unfortunately, he died before the book was released, but his family still owns the estate, and his legacy survives in the continued maintenance and revival of this beautiful village.

So let's get going! Walk out of the front courtyard through the hotel's main gates now. Then turn left, and start walking down the road. As we make our way through the town I'll tell you how this oasis in the Karoo came to be, and all about the man who made it so.

VoiceMap uses your phone's GPS to pinpoint your location and play the relevant audio. This means you can put your phone away now and relax. I'll tell you where to go. If you hear some stretches of silence, don't panic - we're just between locations. All you need to do is keep walking straight until I tell you otherwise. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Lord Milner Hotel
Historic Cricket Pitch
Logan's Historic Garden
Tweedside Lodge

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Matjiesfontein Ave, Matjiesfontein, 6901, South Africa
Total distance

1km
Final location
Matjiesfontein, 4800, South Africa
Distance back to start location

29.86m

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins outside The Lord Milner Hotel on Matjiesfontein's main road, in the picturesque front courtyard.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

The Old Post Office, Travellers Chapel, The Transport Museum, The Marie Rawdon Museum, Railway Museum, Coffee House, The Laird's Arms

Best time of day

The walk can be done at any time, but the gardens are particularly beautiful in the morning. You might like to start this tour around 4:30pm, to arrive at the Laird's Arms in time to take the world's shortest bus tour, which leaves from right in front of the pub.

Precautions

If there has been heavy rain, the river crossing may be flooded. Please check this with the hotel's front desk before starting the tour. The gardens are also known to have a few resident snakes, so keep your eyes open and be aware along this section.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”